Councillor is axed by faith group

Cllr Jon Hartley has been expelled from a committee on religious education

A leading councillor in Reading has been expelled from a committee on religious education because he “can’t be bothered to turn up”.

The acting chairman of the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) Rabbi Zvi Solomons has written to Cllr Jon Hartley telling him his place on the committee “is vacant and forfeit”. In the letter to Cllr Hartley, lead member for education and lifelong learning at Reading Borough Council on behalf of SACRE, he says: “Many thanks for your letter and belated apologies for failing to attend the last three SACRE meetings.

“As you know the minutes of our meetings are circulated to all SACRE members and include apologies received so the opportunity to rectify any failures in the communication of your apologies has been available to you for quite some time as you must have been aware for some six months prior to your letter that your name was not on the apologies list.

“Our SACRE takes its responsibility very seriously and it was noted at the last meeting that our constitution provides for those who fail to provide adequate apologies for their absence on three consecutive meetings to forfeit their place on the SACRE.”

SACRE meets three times a year. The Rabbi who is in charge of Reading’s Hebrew Congregation based at the synagogue in Goldsmid Road, West Reading, told getreading the committee was responsible for the religious education syllabus and acts of worship in the local authority schools.

Of Cllr Hartley, he added: “It is very disappointing that someone who is responsible for enhancing the cohesion and mutual understanding in schools can’t be bothered to turn up. Some councillors have the attitude towards religion and religious education that they don’t take it as seriously as they should.”

Cllr Hartley said there were often times when councillors could not attend meetings due to other commitments. He added: “I am obviously sorry that the SACRE meetings did not have my apologies which is why I wrote to the chairman apologising for not having sent my apologies.

“As for taking religious education seriously, I would like to highlight that there are a group of councillors on the SACRE and some are Labour councillors. I can rely on the good offices of my colleague Gul Khan to raise any issues with me if any problems arise and I will also be kept informed through the lead councillor briefing process when officers will be able to tell me about meetings if I am unable to attend.”